Casting Call! Seeking Voice Actors · 11:33pm May 15th, 2013
Yes indeed, if you hadn't guessed it before, I'm well in the works of animating trailers and select scenes from Black Equinox in 3D.
Chances are you've noticed the teaser trailer from before, or my animation with Twilight. That was voiced by fandom actress Rina-Chan, and while I have no problem finding acclaimed voices if I need them, I'd rather have talent I can call upon in a timely fashion and avoid hangups in my already delay-heavy schedule.
Pretty much, if you can think of a character to voice from Black Equinox, you can audition for the role. I put less emphasis on the M6, since like I said already, there is a large talent pool for that, but if you can blow me away I'm more than fine with actors coming to ME.
I'm mainly looking for voices for Corey Webber, CAIRO, and possibly Adrian Mandeville. So yeah, this is a casting call that male actors might actually have a stake in.
Probably I'll voice Mandeville myself, but I'm open to hearing someone else's take on the character too.
The only requirements are these:
Please at least use a decent desktop microphone. I can't have background noise or obviously low-quality audio here. It doesn't have to be recording-booth quality, but yeah.
Please be capable of acting. I know this should go without saying, but the performances need to be believable and natural-sounding. I don't want a Corey that sounds like someone's impression of Solid Snake or something, he's just a guy. Oh, and no thirteen-year-olds trying to make their voices sound deeper please. If you have to try desperately to sound the age of the character, it's probably not going to work out.
That said, I invite anyone to send auditions to me by private message here at fimfiction, and it can be through any means you want, be it an mp3 or wave file, or a youtube link or whatever. If I can hear it, I'm game.
And for those of you wondering what I'm doing with the 3D so far, let me show you a few Ponyville structures I've been working on :-)
Don't believe this one? Here's another angle ;-)
Hehe, fun times...
Me: Can't voice act, don't have a microphone, my voice isn't particularly special anyway.
Yeah, I'm not the guy you're looking for.
You may want to probe some of the groups on this site for possible actors. An open letter doesn't really bring in the talent.
Still, good luck with this project! Lookin' good!
Whoa, dude. This might be something I can do. I'm not sure if you'll be a fan of my voice, but I'll throw together an audition video for those parts. I'd definitely love to try CAIRO if I can find a decent voice for him.
(Strangely enough, I did not imagine anything close to GLaDOS for him)
Finally made that video
CAIRO Audition Video
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Wow, went the full course, didn't ya?
Screencap, with simultaneous webcam shot, hot damn.
Thanks for all the compliments you made in the video, it's something else to hear someone say something like that, especially in a form that isn't text
Also, found it intriguing you pronounced CID as "See-Eye-Dee."
I guess there's no way to tell through text, but actually the characters as I wrote it simply SAY the shorthand acronym rather than spelling it.
As to the audition... hmm... I'd say the second "Pokedex" voice was the most appropriate (and yes, CAIRO's voice IS a male voice
) though I'm probably going to play the field a touch more.
For reference, CAIRO was less "GLaDOS" and more the announcer voice from Portal 2, but with a mind. Don't know if you played that one, but the Announcer is the dumb-AI that controls a lot of the automated systems and has automated verbal responses, but is basically just a cold computer with no higher thinking of its own. It'll tell you things, but it doesn't "talk" to you on an intelligent level.
CAIRO was modeled as a "smart" version of the announcer. You can hear the idealized voice I have in mind at the end of the teaser trailer, actually, which is just audio from Portal 2 I spliced together to sound like he was saying "Mandeville Arms".
Here's a vid of his various lines for essential reference, in case you want a second go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1YzIMpDBbQ
Though, something I wanted to discuss with you... have you considered trying Mandeville's voice?
Your tone could actually work rather well.
No, seriously, while I never quite imagined him with the accent you have, your accent is pretty subtle, and I don't think I quite established a state or country of origin for him. I'd love to hear your take on him, because I honestly am rather intrigued
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I... I don't know what to say. I've always disliked the sound of my own voice (at least when played through a recording).
>have you considered trying Mandeville's voice?
Wait, you mean... you like my natural voice?
J-Dude, I would love to try if you think it's worth it. It's 10:30 at night for me right now, and I have to get up at 6 to go to work, but I will definitely look up some Mandeville lines to try out for you.1101207
Here it is. Now you know my secret
Mandeville Audition Video
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Heh, again with the compliments
Also, surreal to hear this stuff read aloud...
Yeah, like you said, cold read. I'm not really sure it helped my consideration. Didn't hurt it either, but the idea was to hear a bit of acting, and what I heard was reading, sorry to say. Flat.
I can't do it now, but if I get a chance I'll do a read myself of a few choice bits when I'm alone and free of disturbing anyone. Naturally plenty of it comes from the writer intending a specific tone or emphasis and being unable to get that explicitly across in a story. Everybody sees things in their own way, after all.
Still, in that scene the guy is addressing a crowd, and kinda booming out to them, both to be heard and to come across in a way he thinks will impress them. Though personally, his "public speaking" voice probably isn't what I'd use to audition with. I'll show you what I thought this scene sounded like, but I'd personally go with his less guarded, more candid moments. His one-on-ones with characters or CAIRO, or moments he's been supremely pissed off and there's nobody around for him to impress, so he goes with the reaction that comes most natural to him.
Also, while I agree that he believes what he's saying to some extent... deep down he's telling himself a lie. He HAS to believe he's in the right, or else he knows he's a monster. He's hasn't the spine to give up and try atoning for his crimes, nor to even take the coward's way out and blow his own head off, so to admit to himself that he's the ruinous aggressor of a nation of innocent people is to opt to live and suffer with that knowledge and guilt.
Also, I actually pronounce it like "Sid"
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As promised, my take on Mandeville :-)
MAJOR spoiler warning to the uninitiated, please don't listen to this if you haven't read all of Black Equinox up till now.
https://soundcloud.com/j-dude-1/mandeville2
Also, audio is a touch inconsistent in volume. I set my recording volume to ultra low to capture the more "screamy" moments.
Oh, and I meant my voice sounds a lot deeper when I hear it than it does when I record it, lol.
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Take 2 on Mandeville. Hopefully this is less flat. I'm going to try again tomorrow when there's less people to disturb, and I can really let loose. I just wanted to get it out of the way while my mind was on it.
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Hey, sorry it took a while getting back to you on this.
It certainly sounds better in these takes, though I'm still torn.
I'm gonna try and expand this casting call, because I want at least a FEW choices. I'm not doing my job if I have to choose between the one auditioner and MYSELF, lol. I'll see about the various MLP forums or try getting EQD to give a shoutout.
Good thing with voice acting is I can have the lines recorded readily and then take my time with the animated side. This'll work well for me, since I'm trying for a second job, as my girlfriend and I are moving in together by September. I'll be juggling two jobs, various errands and spending time with her. So I'll be more constrained, but possibly more focused for that. Who knows, blessings in disguise and all that.
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Ooh, a reply! Wow, I just listened to this again, and I hate it. Then again, I've always hated the sound of my own voice, but.. meh. Good luck with finding a suitable candidate, and in the meantime, I'll keep working on it. I always thought being a VA would be a cool thing. Maybe if I just get sugar high or something. Really lower my inhibitions, then wait untill no one is around. Ooh, that sounds fun. I'm gonna try it.
Don't want to make him sound too crazy, though.
I shall return. If I am not chosen, it will not be because I didn't try.